Donald Trump's attitude on terrorism was praised by a former FBI agentReuters

A former member of the FBI terrorism task force has praised Donald Trump's "tough" attitude towards terrorists, stating "you gotta decapitate them". Lieutenant Steven Rogers, a retired military intelligence officer and former member of the FBI's terrorism task force, praised Trump's response to the 19 May EgyptAir crash, which may or may not have been a terror attack.

Referencing a tweet from the GOP candidate that said terrorism must be responded to with strength, Rogers said on a Fox News discussion: "Well, you know he is absolutely right, when [he questioned] are we going to get tough?

"And it goes back to some of the guests earlier who talked about what we are doing with Isis in the Middle East, you gotta decapitate them, Mr Trump said we've got to cut the head off and that's Isis – we've got to respond to terrorism with strength.

"And hopefully if the time comes, he will be able to do that."

Rogers was repeating a statement from Trump's campaign video released at the beginning of the year, in which viewers were told the GOP candidate would "quickly cut the head off Isis and take their oil".

The presumptive presidential nominee has previously spoken of being tough on terrorism and took an opportunity to reiterate his stance following the plane crash, telling his followers: "Looks like yet another terrorist attack. Airplane departed from Paris. When will we get tough, smart and vigilant? Great hate and sickness!"

Following Rogers' interview, Trump added: "Thank you @LtStevenLRogers. We will respond to terrorism with strength in 2017!"

The GOP nominee is likely to do well in the polls if national security is under threat, according to The Economist's Intelligence Unit, whose global forecasting service noted in March that Trump would be more likely to reach the White House if there was a terror threat in the US.